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City Guide: Shimmering Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is a metropolis melting pot of traditional and modern aspects. One thing's for sure, they do everything BIG.

Abu Dhabi is a metropolis melting pot of traditional and modern aspects. One thing’s for sure, they do everything BIG.

 

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates and also the seat of the United Arab Emirates Government.

Starting off as an obscure fishing village, Abu Dhabi, with rapid development, has grown into a major cultural and commercial cosmopolitan metropolis.

In 2007, Abu Dhabi was named the richest city in the world according to CNN. Abu Dhabi accounts for two thirds of the UAE’s economy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gQVvpJZC58

 

Qasr al Hosn

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Want to see where it all began? Qasr al Hosn is Abu Dhabi’s symbolic birthplace, the emirate’s first permanent structure and previous home to the emirate’s ruling Al Nahyan family.

Originally a coral and sea stone watchtower, it was transformed into a fort.

Because of the shell’s reflective effect, the walls would sparkle in the sun, becoming a great navigational tool for the region’s merchants.

Between 1939 and the 1950’s, Qasr al Hasn went through an expansion and the original fort was enclosed by the now iconic palace.

 

World Trade Center

The World Trade Centre is a bit hard to miss

The World Trade Centre is a bit hard to miss

Standing where the city’s former main souk once resided is the massive World Trade Center. Just look for the two shiny cylindrical skyscrapers – Trust Tower and The Domain. The main attraction is the amazing new souk or World Trade Center Market, a glittering post modern take on the traditional Arabian bazaar.

Imagine classic Islamic motifs paired with modern materials, equal parts Zen minimalism and Arabian nights. It’s almost a great analogy for the city itself, being a mix of modernism and tradition.

http://www.wtcad.ae

 

Emirates Palace Hotel

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Opened in 2005 to rival Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, the Emirates Palace Hotel is Abu Dhabi’s answer to a “seven star hotel”.

The hotel sits in an elevated position above the sea and surrounding gardens in solitary splendour at the western end of the city.

The building is impressive at 1km in length featuring 114 domes, 140 elevators and 2000 staff and rumoured to be the most expensive hotel ever built.

 

Al Dhafra Cruising Restaurant

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Sailing next to the Corniche and fish market, Al Dhafra is any seafood lover’s dream, they let you choose and select all the seafood items you want right at the entrance and you’re allowed to customize your meal according to your needs and the chef will tweak it for you.

As with any Emirati restaurant, there is also a buffet with grilled meat, hot and cold appetizers and an impressive salad bar.

 

Yas Mall

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Abu Dhabi’s biggest shopping centre with an impressive 235,000 square metres of floor space is only 10 minutes from Abu Dhabi International airport so you can jump right in to one of the biggest shopping adventures of your life.

There are things like a Logo Concept store and Rogo’s Rollercoaster Restaurant, 4Dx technology and the biggest VOX Max screen with more than 60 restaurants and cafes.

You won’t struggle to find a park either, there’s 10,000 car parking spaces available.

http://www.yasmall.ae

What’s your favourite attraction in Abu Dhabi?